Get As Bare As You Dare At 10th Annual New Orleans Naked Bike Ride

This weekend, the tenth annual World Naked Bike Ride’s New Orleans edition will delight passersby. Local burlesque star Trixie Minx will lead the way in what has become a full-fledged parade in its own regard. Throngs of people lining the streets are expected this year, as well.The World Naked Bike Ride is held in 74 countries and 24 cities on Saturday, June 9.

Its mission is to increase the visibility of cyclists in city streets to bring attention to the vulnerabilities they face while sharing streets with cars and other vehicles. New Orleans is rated as the seventh best city in the nation for bike commuters, but most would agree there remain far too many serious accidents between drivers and cyclists. Therefore, the hope is the Naked Bike Ride will encourage motorists to pay more attention to the bicyclists on the roads around them.

In a broader sense, the World Naked Bike Ride Day represents a global fight against the harmful effects of motor vehicles including cars, buses, trucks and others. According to the organization, WNBR Day, it’s an opportunity for “riding in celebration and jubilation to deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world to the masses. We have many great reasons to be celebrating, with all the glory of naked two-wheel sanity. It’s time to join hundreds of naked compatriots in a free, non-sexual, fun bike ride!”

Riders are encouraged to come as they are, whether that means clothed or bare, painted up or not. It’s common for participants to paint their bodies with political messages and outrageous designs in an effort to draw as much attention as possible. That’s a cakewalk for a New Orleanian. The New Orleans World Naked Bike Ride launches from Mickey Markey Park, at the corner of Royal and Piety Streets in the Bywater, at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 9. For more information, visit the group on Facebook.